Son of the Village Guardian
by The Jiant
Summary: My first fanfic, for my English 202 class. It uses the Anime Naruto's sense of reality, but is in no way associated to the mangaanime.


Chapter 1: Betrayal

His heavy fist pounded down on the desk. Scrolls rolled out of the way from the force, and his cup of water fell, spilling to the floor, before the cup itself hit the floor. Daifu was clenching his teeth, trying his hardest to not burst out and scream. Holding it in, however, was forcing his body to shake visibly, and a few council members exchanged concerned glances. Daifu's breath came out quick from his nostrils as he tried to calm himself down. Finally he started shaking his head, raising his glance back up to the council.

"I can't let you do that, my Leaders. You've done well for this village up until this point, but what you are demanding of me now is beyond the power you've been given." Daifu spoke with a shaking voice, as if he wanted to tear the throats of everyone in the room at this moment.

"It is beyond our control as it is," spoke one of the council members from behind his long white beard, "the command has been sent out and is in motion as we speak." He gave a nod to no one, more for himself to assure himself that this was the right decision.

"And we get no say? None whatsoever? After all I've done for this village, you just go and make this assumption for yourselves? This decision will return to haunt you! If I have to devote every minute…." Before he could finish speaking, the sound of glass broke, and a scream rang out from the room beyond the closed doors of the council chamber. Guards who were guarding the door from the outside burst indoors, yelling words of an enemy invasion.

"Why? Who would dare attack our council in the middle of the day?" Spoke the same council member who had given the nod to himself earlier. He stood up, and waved a hand to order the guards to the attack. The council members looked concerned, turning their glances back to Daifu, standing in the middle of the circular council room.

"Daifu, it is time for you to end this foolishness and return to your post as this village's guardian." Spoke Tu-fai, the youngest council member of the group. Daifu shot him a wicked look after he spoke that caused him to scoot down in his seat more.

"I refuse. You send out an order as you did, and expect me to just suddenly resume my post as if nothing ever happened?" He shook his head, trying to decide to himself whether to betray his post, or actually fight for the village that had given him so much, including a home. But before any decision could be reached, a young girl's shriek rang out, piercing the chaotic vibe that entered the chambers while the meeting was in progress.

"DADDY! HELP!" came from the open chamber doors. Daifu's eyes immediately shot to the door, widening with both concern and fear.

"Kru'stin? Kru'stin!" Daifu screamed back, before bolting out of the door, using his legs to propel him up the stacked desks of the meeting room and out the door. As soon as he exited the chambers, he was met by an enemy ninja, mask covering his lower facial features, and with dark black goggles covering his eyes. A kunai in his hand, the enemy raised his arm to drive the kunai into the head of Daifu.

Daifu, however, had become the village's guardian for a reason. His hand quickly shot to his opponent's wrists, stopping the dropping kunai from going any further. His pinky and his ring finger of his ring hand curled up, leaving only his middle and pointer fingers pointing straight up. He placed those fingers parallel to his lips, and whispered a small, quick chant, before his eyes shot open and he yelled.

"Hidama no Jutsu!" and his hand shot down to his hip. The energy had formed in his mouth, and he took a deep breath before releasing all the energy stored in his mouth in the form of a giant fireball, which caught the enemy in his wide-open chest, which blasted him against the hallway wall, engulfing him in the flames. Daifu let go of the man's hand, and he slumped against the wall. Daifu turned and ran towards where he had heard the young woman scream.

As he turned the corner, he saws his daughters outstretched hand, trying to grab onto the window frame as a pair of hands pulled her through. She caught sight of her father, and tears immediately came streaming down her face. She dropped the basket she was holding and held both arms out towards her father.

"Daddy! Save me!" She yelled, before disappearing outside. Daifu didn't waste any time, and he ran down the hall towards the window, diving out it and landing in a roll, he stood up quickly. His right hand dropped to the back of his belt, where he pulled a kunai of his own out, and started looking left and right for his daughter. As he started forward, his foot was snagged. He looked down, to see tree roots reaching up to grab around his ankles. He tried to jump away, but another root shot up, and clutched his arm, holding him down. Before long, the roots had him completely ensnared, and he couldn't move any part of his body.

"Ha ha ha….so this is what has become of the village's guardian?" said a voice whose laughter seemed insincere and, yet, vaguely familiar. Daifu strained hard, trying to find the source of this voice, and then found it. His eyes narrowed into small slits as he stared down the man behind the mischief, standing tall on the room just across from him, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

"Ich'eal…."

Chapter 2: Discovery

"Jist'in...Jist'in, wake up, would you? It's almost noon!" A hand reached out, shaking the young boy awake. He tried to let out a voice of disagreement, but all that came out was a low groan. He turned his head, smashing his face into the pillow. His mother strode across the room, pulling the curtains aside, and pushing open the window. A cool breeze drifted into the room, and brushed over Jist'in's exposed feet. He shivered before raising his head from the pillow.

"Mom, would you get out of here? I was out all night, and I really...wait, did you say it was almost noon?" His eyes darted over to the window, where he tried to catch a glimpse of the passing sun. It was nowhere to be seen, and he was almost sure it was overhead.

"Mom, why didn't you wake me up earlier?" His hand thrust the light blue blanket off of him, and he reached for his shirt. His mother shook her head and gave him a smile as he scurried around. She didn't mind his morning antics, because he was such a good kid the rest of the day. She gave a small sigh and wondered where 18 years went. It feels like just a week ago he was born, and then started walking around. It felt like yesterday when she first dropped him off at the village Ninja academy. Where did the time go? She wondered, before picking up his dirty laundry and proceeding down to the river.

Jist'in grabbed his notebook and his pen from the small table set off to the side of the window. His room was littered with small drawings from his notebook. Animals, mostly, but the occasional village sketch, or sunset was strewn about on his walls. He loved drawing. It was his life. It was what kept him sane during all the boring Village History lessons. Most importantly, however, was it kept him safe.

He scurried out to the kitchen, where as usual, a small bowl of oatmeal awaited him. He dropped his sketchbook and pen to the floor and kneeled before the table. The smell of maple and brown sugar emanated from the small clay bowl.

"Itadakimasu!" said Jist'in before pushing his fork into the mushy warm oats before him. He took a bite, but left the spoon in his mouth when his attention suddenly drifted.

"Ha', Mo, wurr's crust in?" he said, mouth full of a wooden spoon.

"Jist'in, take the spoon out of your mouth before you speak. You look like an idiot," she said not even bothering to turn around, since this was something that happened most days. His attention would suddenly drift when a distraction came around.

"Gomennasai. I meant to say, where's Kru'stin?"

"She baked lunch for your father and went to deliver it to your father at the Council building. Honestly, Jist'in. If you would wake up at a decent time, you would know these things. Although, she's been gone for a while, and I told her to be back about 20 minutes ago...where could she be?" Her thought process was broken, however, but a rapping at the door. The door slid to the side, and a messenger from the Council was kneeling at the door, head lowered in greeting. When Jist'in's mother acknowledged him, he sat back up, and slid a message to her, before pushing off the ground and vanishing into the air with a jump that was taught at the ninja academy. Jist'in's mother read the scroll, dropped it, and backed up into the kitchen. She dropped the scroll and covered her mouth with a gasp.

"Oi...mother...what is it?" Jist'in asked, almost knocking his bowl over as he jolted to a standing position.

"Your father is in the hospital...and your sister has been kidnapped!"

Chapter 3: The Visitor

Jist'in went racing to the hospital. His body forcing himself to move quicker, faster. He couldn't force his mind to believe that his father had been beaten. It was his father who had trained him all these years, everyday, while bragging to other people that one day, Jist'in would be his successor. Everyone always laughed and brushed it off, telling him they believed Daifu would never die, and then everyone would laugh and smile. Not today, however. This is the first time his father had been put in the hospital by someone else. His intense training occasionally landed him in ER with torn muscles or broken bones. Who could have beaten him?

He pushed aside the door and raced past the young nurse sitting at the reception desk. He raced up to his father's normal room, ready for him to be looking at the door, smiling, telling Jist'in he'd be fine, and that training would resume as normal tomorrow. When he got to the door, though, there was no such smile. There were no thoughts of training anymore. His father lay unconscious, wires and IV's going in and out of his skin, over and under the light sheet that covered his torso and lower body. He didn't move, didn't speak, he didn't even look his way.

Jist'in kneeled down next to the bed and placed his forehead on his fathers resting hand. He forced back tears and tried his hardest not to cry. His father was beaten, and badly, and no one knew why, or how. Jist'in screamed at the nurse who entered the room to tell him now was not the time to visit him, and that he should come back later.

"I'm not leaving until I find out who did this. When one of you can tell me that, I'll leave..." His hand reached out to the notebook that was placed on the table. The nurse understood what Jist'in was getting at and gasped a little bit before hurriedly rushing out the door. A doctor was about to enter the room, only to be stopped by the fleeing nurse.

"Dad...who did this to you...? Please don't die...please..." His voice cracked and the tears couldn't be held back now. His mother entered the room, and put her arm around her son. It killed her to watch her son cry like this, almost as much as it did to see her husband like that. She whispered reassuring comments to her little boy as he sobbed, and eventually, helped him stand up.

"Come on, Jist'in, let your father sleep. We'll come back later, I promise. Let's just go home and think this through. The medical staff here is..."

"Incompetent!" He shouted. He pulled himself away from his mothers hold, and sat on the chair next to his father's bed. He buried his head in his hands, his fingers idly toying with his long, dark hair. He would get whoever did this to his father.

"Mother, whoever did this will pay. I'll make them. I'll get back Kru'stin, and I'll destroy whoever hurt father. I promise."

His mother was taken aback. She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her son's mouth. Never before had she heard him speak so ruthlessly about another person. It frightened her. She didn't speak another word, simply turned on heel and walked out the door, tears streaming down her face.

Jist'in sat there for hours, face buried in his hands, as he contemplated the day. Why had something like this happened? How did ANYONE beat his father? His jutsu's were more powerful than anybody else's. And yet, this battle ended in his opponents favor. Someone out there was strong. Very strong. Beating Daifu was something many assassins have tried, yet all failed. While these thoughts were mulling through Jist'in's head, his ears missed the approaching footsteps, and didn't notice anyone else was in the room until he heard a mans voice.

"Ahh...shame, shame..." came a voice from out of nowhere. His eyes moved from his hands as he looked at the new presence in the room. Standing before him was a ninja from a different village, one that had left many years before, and Jist'in had only seen him a few times. The man looked down at Jist'in and placed his hand on his head, then looked back at Daifu.

Jist'in looked at the man, shocked, before finally getting up the courage to speak.

"Uncle Ich'eal...why are you here?"

Chapter 4: The Truth

"Ah, it's no surprise. I heard my brother was hospitalized, so naturally I came to his side. The question is, why are you being so vengeful?" He spoke the whole time with a smile on his face, still not moving his hand from his nephews head. He gave it a rub, which messed up his hair, then bent over to examine the wounds that covered Daifu's face and neck.

"Someone injured my father. I can't just let something like that go. I've trained my entire life to one day take over the reigns of protecting this village. I didn't plan for it to be so soon, but my father clearly can't fight like this...wait a minute!" he pointed a finger at his uncle. "You're a ninja too! Mom told me! Help me! Help me track down the people who did this to my father!"

Ich'eal didn't say anything. It almost appeared as if he wasn't even listening to the boy. He was leaning down over the fallen body of his brother. He studied the wounds that HE knew he had inflicted. The only thing in his mind was 'how?' How did he survive his "Koudo Gekido no Jutsu?" No matter, thought Ich'eal. He had him where he wanted him now, and no one could stop his plan from succeeding. He raised his hand up to his brother's head, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He stopped and smiled at Jist'in.

"Jist'in. Let me tell you a story. Out there in the world, there are people with abilities. But not just normal abilities, abilities that they haven't even mastered, that make anything you can do, or I can do, pale in comparison. And some of those people are evil. Some of them don't care if you're a small boy, with aspirations of protecting this village. They will kill you, and kill everyone you associate with. Is that the type of responsibility you wish to have on your hands? Knowing that with every death, the blood that piles up is on your hands?"

"What? I don't...understand..."

"You're too young to understand, young Jist'in. One day, though, you will. You'll want to renounce any responsibility you have. Because some people..." He placed his hand on his brother's forehead, putting more pressure than Jist'in could see. "...have nothing to live for."

"Uncle Ich'eal, the person who did this to my father will pay. They'll have no choice. My father and I went up to the Buddha shrine last summer, and one of the monks told me that I was a..."

Before he could finish his sentence, however, yells emanated from the hallway. His eyes diverted from his uncle, and Jist'in looked at the hallway. He could hear the footsteps getting closer, and was about to walk over and shut the door. Before he could, however, a foot stuck itself just inside the door frame, stopping him from shutting the door. He couldn't shut the door, and wasn't expecting a doctor to lower his shoulder into the door, followed by the village's police force. Jist'in fell backwards, landing on his tailbone, and let out a cry of pain."

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! Hey, would you guys calm down! My father's trying to sleep!"

One of the ninja police force thrust his arm underneath the arm of Jist'in and pulled him out from in front of the group, away from his father.

"Where is he? Where did he go?" They were all looking into the room, kunai drawn and waiting.

"Who? Who are you talking about, there's no one in here but myself, my father and my uncle..."

They opened the closet doors and searched underneath the bed. Pulling the couch away from the wall, still, there was no sign of Ich'eal...he had vanished. One of the doctors pulled Jist'in to the side, and took a deep breath, before peering at him from under his bushy white eyebrows.

"Son, let me tell you something about your uncle Ich'eal. A long time ago, he was a ninja in this village, but..."

"No! Don't tell him...let me..."

A gasp filled the air, as everyone's eyes looked over at their guardian. He had awoken from his unconscious state, and was peering over at the group of doctors and police force. His eyes, however, were stuck firmly on his son. His hand waved weakly, beckoning his son to come over. Jist'in wrestled his arm from the grip of the doctor. He pulled the chair over to face his father's bed, and took his hand in his.

"Father...what happened? Who did this to you?"

Daifu took a deep breath, and then clenched his hand around that of his sons.

"It was your Uncle Ich'eal..."


End file.
